Police: Armed Man With Multiple Hostages Has Been Barricaded Inside New Jersey Home Since Friday

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Police are negotiating with an armed man who has taken hostages in a Trenton, N.J. home since Friday afternoon. (Image source: The Times of Trenton)

TRENTON, N.J. (TheBlaze/AP) — An armed man who took hostages Friday afternoon remained barricaded in a home in New Jersey’s capital on Saturday as authorities work to negotiate his surrender and his captives’ safe release, police said.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was holed up in a brick house in South Trenton more than 18 hours after the standoff began, authorities said Saturday. Trenton police Lt. Stephen Varn declined to give any details on the number of people being held, their ages or relationship to the armed man, but The Times of Trenton reported the man killed his girlfriend and her child, and was barricaded with other children.

Police were called to the home before 3 p.m. Friday on reports of a barricaded suspect and reportedly discovered the body of a decomposing, according to The Times.

Authorities said police entered the home and found the man brandishing a gun. Police retreated safely, and a SWAT team was called in. Police continued to negotiate with the suspect Saturday morning, Varn said.

Homes on the surrounding block have been evacuated as a precaution, and police tape cordoned off the street in front of the house.

Lt. Mark Kieffer told The Times of Trenton that police had not been called to the home before.